The present invention relates to pinatas, and to methods of making them.
Pinatas have been in use on festive occasions since the early sixteenth century. First used in Italy, they were originally a simple clay pot which could be filled with treats and suspended by a rope. Individuals were blindfolded and given a stick with which they could attempt to break the pinata. Once the pinata was broken, everyone scrambled for the released treats. The custom was brought to the Americas by the early Spanish explorers, and until the early 20th century the basic design remained the same--a plain, undecorated clay pot. With the arrival of tissue paper, Mexicans began to decorate their pinatas with fanciful colors and designs. Tourists travelling in Mexico became enchanted with the colorful pinatas and the demand increased, thereby encouraging the manufacturers to find a faster method of making the pinatas.
In the 20th century manufacturers began to make pinatas out of paper mache, and that has remained the method of choice until now. Using paper mache, they could make pinatas in many shapes, often giving them the form of bulls, stars, donkeys, etc.
The method for making pinatas out of paper mache involves the following basic steps: 1) A support structure is formed, e.g. rolled or wadded newspapers, balloons, or styrofoam blocks. 2) Strips of newspaper (e.g. approximately 2" wide) are dipped in a paste and layered over the support form to cover it completely. 3) "Appendages" may be added while the pinata is still wet, i.e. any part (such as a donkey's ears) which does not need to be a part of the main container. 4) The pinata must then be allowed to dry completely. 5) Once dry, the pinata is cut in half to remove the support structure, and the two halves fastened together with tape. 6) A hole is made in the pinata to allow treats to be added by the purchaser and a rope or wire is secured to allow the pinata to be suspended properly. 7) The pinata is now ready to be decorated, traditionally with tissue paper cut in fringed strips.
Although paper mache pinatas have been successfully used for over 50 years, there are several drawbacks to this method. A great deal of time and skill are needed to form the paper mache shapes in an artistic and consistent manner. Once the pinatas are formed, they need a long time to dry properly and their often bulky forms take up a large amount of space. Shipping can also be a problem, since they are bulky and at least somewhat fragile by nature. Also, paper mache pinatas don't break as easily as the clay pots formerly used; they often fold in on themselves rather than shattering.
Attempts have been made to find new methods of making the pinatas such as corrugated cardboard hot-glued together, but the invention here disclosed is a significant new method.
Functionally, a pinata design has several requirements:
it must hold a substantial volume and weight (perhaps 2-5 pounds) of treats, PA1 it must be capable of being suspended when filled without spilling its contents, PA1 it must break when struck firmly or have another means of releasing the enclosed treats on demand.
These problems are solved, in the presently preferred embodiment, by an inventive process which uses paperboard packaging technology in a new way. Decorative shapes are designed and translated into die-cut and scored cardstock pieces which can be hand folded into full-size three-dimensional forms and secured with built-in tabs and slots. Two, three, or more pieces can be fit together to form elaborate and fanciful shapes, such as animals, human figures or inanimate objects. By providing a large number of parallel fold lines, a circular shape, such as a torso, can be approximated. The scored cardstock includes a precut opening for adding treats and a suitable place for attachment of a wire or other hanger. In a short amount of time, a finished pinata can be ready for decorating.
The advantages of the paperboard method are numerous. There is no time-consuming layering of paper mache, nor waiting for the paper mache to dry, and no need to remove the support structure and refasten the pieces. The folding can be done with a minimum of skill, yet the finished forms are consistent and proportionate (unlike traditional pinatas) and rival the work of a skilled artisan. If desired, the pieces can even be shipped flat, to be assembled at the destination and decorated by the consumer, thus saving on shipping costs.
Another innovative feature, which provides further advantages is that the paperboard pinata has a "trap door" in the bottom. A string or ribbon can be attached nearby to open the pinata with a tug. This allows the pinata to be used in a non-destructive way, as will be detailed below. It also provides a way of making pinatas reusable, as well as providing a less violent game, which some parents may prefer.